Punjab government bans local holidays in schools

The Punjab government today imposed a total ban on local holidays in government schools to properly implement the Right to Education Act, 2009 under which functioning of minimum 220 days was mandatory.

Instructions had been issued to strictly impose the ban with immediate effect, education minister Sikander Singh Maluka said here. The state government, which had allowed discretion to schools for two local holidays, had now withdrawn that order, he said.

The state government had decided to adopt a flexible policy for winter vacations in schools which were observed from December 25 to 31.Now these vacations would be announced according to weather conditions every year, the minister said.